The researchers noted that the rate of violent crime in Britain rose nearly 18 percent from 2003 to 2004, and that in the first two weeks of 2005, 15 killings and 16 nonfatal attacks involved stabbings. In an unusual move for a scholarly work, the researchers cited a January headline from The Daily Express, a London tabloid: "Britain is in the grip of knives terror - third of murder victims are now stabbed to death." Dr. Hern said that "we came up with the idea and tossed it into the pot" to get people talking about crime reduction. "Whether it's a sensible solution to this problem or not, I'm not sure."

While I am generally on the more "liberal" side of the gun control issue than some of myfriends (because guns scare the boogers out of me), start talking about grinding the tip off my Wüstofs and I'll start talking about a revolution. Nevermind the knives I own that are actually meant to be considered "weapons"...